When I was in high school, I took part in a career assessment exercise that involved my history teacher, a computer, and a bunch of punch cards. After spending an afternoon answering questions and filling in cards, the assessment tool suggested only one career to me: infantry officer. While I felt that there were those who would enjoy being an infantry officer, I certainly didn't count myself among them, and my history teacher understood my disappointment in the exercise.

Of course, that was a long time ago. Today, I recognize that a career assessment by a professional counselor involves a lot more than simply generating a list (apparently, for some of us, a very short list) of possible career choices.

So what exactly do career counselors do? Generally, in order to provide you with feedback on your career goals, a career counselor will look at your educational background and your skills, as well as your values and interests. If you are a university or college student, that could mean looking at things like prior work and volunteer experience, in addition to your area of study. The assessment itself usually involves interviews and testing for aptitude and/or personality. Tests that are commonly used for this purpose include the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, the Kiersey Temperament Sorter, and the Highlands Ability Battery. More specific services offered by career counselors range from critiquing résumés, to providing advice on issues such as career transition, to dealing with a layoff, or even to financial planning.

While most career counselors work with individuals, some work exclusively with companies, advising on subjects like how to retain talent or outplacement.

A career counselor might have an educational background in business, education, psychology, social work, or even theology, which is why the term "career counselor" is just one of many that is used to describe those in the profession. Some career counselors prefer to call themselves "career coaches" or "career professionals," instead of "counselors," while others might refer to themselves as "passion mappers."

Once you've decided to make use of a career counselor, the best place to start looking is the Association of Career Professionals International. The ACP International is a governing body for individuals, companies, and organizations that provide career services, and it has more than 2,000 members (ranging from independent practices to large firms) in more than 30 countries. More importantly, ACP International members are bound by a code of ethical conduct intended to safeguard the public interest.